TT News

TT Practice Report (Saturday 24 May 2003)25 May 2003

Practising for the 2003 TT got under way in mixed conditions last night. After a
quarter-of-an-hour delay while a road traffic accident and mud on the road at
Sarah's Cottage were dealt with, nearly all the star names were out, including
outright lap record holder, 30-year-old David Jefferies, from Baildon in West
Yorkshire.

A number of fairly fast laps were put in, but teething troubles with the new
transponder automatic timing system were sufficient to prevent the publication
of lap times and speeds, but it is anticipated that the problems will have been
overcome by the next practice session which is scheduled for early Bank Holiday
Monday morning.

There were a number of incidents during last night's practice. The most serious
befell George Spence, from Cupar, who crashed his 1000cc Yamaha on the Verandah.
He was taken to Noble's Hospital by medical helicopter suffering from possible
major injuries.

The female passenger in the all-French sidecar pairing of Pierre and Maryse
Duval sustained head injuries when she fell out of the outfit exiting Governor's
Bridge. Her condition is thought to be not serious. Francis Heath escaped injury
in a spill at Union Mills, while there were two crashes at Bedstead Corner. Kiwi
newcomer Daniel Jansen received minor injuries, as did Swedish competitor Martin
Hamberg.

Finally, another French-driven sidecar hit trouble at the Waterworks.
Jean-Claude Kestler and his passenger escaped injury when they came to grief on
the tricky series of right-handers between Ramsey
Hairpin and the Gooseneck.

TT practising continues tomorrow morning and evening, with the De Montford
Pre-TT Classic meeting on the Billown Circuit sandwiched between. There is also
a moto-cross at West Kimmeragh, Bride, today.